Method of programming telephone numbers and identifiers in multiple databases

• US 6,597,772 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Fleming, Hoyt A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/217,065
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.25, 379/93.24, 379/102.02, 379/355, 379/356, 379/355.06, 379/356.01, 455/418, 455/419, 455/564
• US Class Current: 379/93.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatically updating a group of databases when new information is entered into any one of the databases in the group is disclosed. When a first database is updated with new information, a phone call, page or email is sent to the other databases. The updated database sends the new information to the other databases via the phone call, page or email, and the new information is stored in each database. In this manner, the information contained in each associated database will be kept current and accurate without requiring manual re-entry of the new information into each separate database.

Claims

1. A method of storing at least one telephone number and information associated with said telephone number in a plurality of databases, at least one of said plurality of databases comprising a telephone database located in a telephone, said method comprising:

entering said at least one telephone number and associated information into a first of said plurality of databases;

storing said at least one telephone number and associated information in said first database;

sending said at least one telephone number and associated information to the telephone database;

receiving said at least one telephone number and associated information by the telephone database;

searching the telephone database for said associated information;

determining if said associated information is already in the telephone database;

storing said at least one telephone number and associated information in the telephone database if said associated information is not found; and

replacing stored information associated with said associated information with said entered telephone number and associated information if said associated information is found.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said act of entering further comprises:

manually entering said at least one telephone number and associated information into said first database.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said act of entering further comprises:

entering said at least one telephone number and associated information including an alphanumeric identifier associated with said at least one telephone number.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said act of storing in said first database further comprises:

searching said first database for said entered alphanumeric identifier;

determining if said alphanumeric identifier is already in said first database;

storing said alphanumeric identifier and telephone number and associated information in said first database if said alphanumeric identifier is not found; and

replacing stored information associated with said alphanumeric identifier with said entered telephone number and associated information if said alphanumeric identifier is found.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

said act of searching the telephone database comprises searching for said entered alphanumeric identifier;

said act of determining if said associated information is already in the telephone database comprises determining if said alphanumeric identifier is already in the telephone database; and

said act of storing said telephone number and associated information in the telephone database if said alphanumeric identifier is not found comprises storing said alphanumeric identifier and telephone number and associated information in the telephone database.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said act of sending further comprises:

sending said at least one telephone number and associated information to the telephone database via an email or a page.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

using a text string to indicate to the telephone database that said at least one telephone number and associated information is being sent.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

deleting said email after said at least one telephone number and associated information has been stored in the telephone database.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

using a command in said email or page to indicate to the telephone database that said at least one telephone number and associated information is being sent.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein after said email or page has been received by the telephone database, said method further comprises:

parsing said email or page to determine if said command is found;

notifying a user of said email or page if said command is not found; and

extracting said at least one telephone number and associated information if said command is found.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

deleting said email or page after said at least one telephone number and associated information has been stored or replaced in the telephone database.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

recalling said stored at least one telephone number and associated information from said first database or the telephone database.

13. A telephone comprising:

a memory circuit; and

a controller coupled to said memory circuit, said controller adapted to;

search said memory circuit after the telephone has electronically received at least one telephone number and an alphanumeric identifier associated with said telephone number from at least one other memory circuit which is external to said telephone, the act of searching said memory circuit comprising searching for said alphanumeric identifier;

storing said alphanumeric identifier and telephone number in said memory circuit if said alphanumeric identifier is not found; and

replacing information associated with said alphanumeric identifier in the memory circuit with said telephone number and alphanumeric identifier if said alphanumeric identifier is found.

14. The telephone according to claim 13, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive said telephone number and alphanumeric identifier via an email, the controller being further adapted to analyze the email for a text string to indicate to said controller that said at least one telephone number and alphanumeric identifier are being sent.

15. The telephone according to claim 14, wherein said controller is further adapted to delete said email after said at least one telephone number and associated information have been stored in said memory circuit.

16. The telephone according to claim 13, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive said telephone number and alphanumeric identifier via an email, the controller being further adapted to analyze the email for a command to indicate to said controller that said at least one telephone number and alphanumeric identifier are being sent.

17. The telephone according to claim 16, wherein said controller is further adapted to delete said email after said at least one telephone number and associated information have been stored in said memory circuit.

18. The telephone according to claim 13, wherein said controller is further adapted to store at least one telephone number and associated information that has been entered by a user in said memory circuit.

19. The telephone according to claim 18, further comprising:

a keypad for manually entering said at least one telephone number and associated information into said controller.

20. The telephone according to claim 18, wherein said controller is further adapted to electronically send said at least one telephone number and information associated with said telephone number that has been entered by said user to said at least one other memory circuit.

21. The telephone according to claim 20, wherein said controller sends said at least one telephone number and associated information to said at least one other memory circuit via a telephone call.

22. The telephone according to claim 20, wherein said controller sends said at least one telephone number and associated information to said at least one other memory circuit via an email.

23. The telephone according to claim 22, wherein said email sent by said controller further comprises:

a text string to indicate to said at least one other memory circuit that said at least one telephone number and associated information are being sent.

24. The telephone according to claim 20, wherein said controller sends said at least one telephone number and associated information to said at least one other memory circuit via a page.

25. The telephone according to claim 24, wherein said page further comprises:

a command to indicate to said at least one other memory circuit that said at least one telephone number and associated information are being sent.

26. The telephone according to claim 13, wherein said controller is adapted to enable a user to use said alphanumeric identifier associated with said at least one telephone number to retrieve and dial said at least one telephone number.

27. The telephone according to claim 13, wherein said controller includes a processor.

28. A telephone system comprising:

at least one telephone comprising;

a memory circuit; and

a controller coupled to said memory circuit, said controller adapted to;

search said memory circuit after the telephone has electronically received at least one telephone number and an alphanumeric identifier associated with said telephone number from at least one other memory circuit which is external to said telephone, the act of searching said memory circuit comprising searching for said alphanumeric identifier;

storing said alphanumeric identifier and telephone number in said memory circuit if said alphanumeric identifier is not found; and

replacing information associated with said alphanumeric identifier in the memory circuit with said telephone number and alphanumeric identifier if said alphanumeric identifier is found.

29. The according to claim 28, wherein said at least one other memory circuit includes a memory circuit of a computer.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said computer is located in a work environment.

31. The system according to claim 29, wherein said computer is located in a home environment.

32. The system according to claim 28, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive said telephone number and alphanumeric identifier via an email, the controller being further adapted to analyze the email for a text string to indicate to said controller that said at least one telephone number and alphanumeric identifier are being sent.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said controller is further adapted to delete said email after said at least one telephone number and associated information have been stored in said memory circuit.

34. The system according to claim 28, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive said telephone number and alphanumeric identifier via an email, the controller being further adapted to analyze the email for a command to indicate to said controller that said at least one telephone number and alphanumeric identifier are being sent.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said controller is further adapted to delete said email after said at least one telephone number and associated information have been stored in said memory circuit.

36. The system according to claim 28, wherein said controller is further adapted to store at least one telephone number and associated information that has been entered by a user in said memory circuit.

37. The system according to claim 36, further comprising:

a keypad for manually entering said at least one telephone number and associated information into said controller.

38. The system according to claim 36, wherein said controller is further adapted to electronically send said at least one telephone number and information associated with said telephone number that has been entered by said user to said at least one other memory circuit.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein said controller sends said at least one telephone number and associated information to said at least one other memory circuit via a telephone call.

40. The system according to claim 38, wherein said controller sends said at least one telephone number and associated information to said at least one other memory circuit via an email.

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein said email sent by said controller further comprises:

a text string to indicate to said at least one other memory circuit that said at least one telephone number and associated information are being sent.

42. The system according to claim 38, wherein said controller sends said at least one telephone number and associated information to said at least one other memory circuit via a page.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein said page further comprises:

a command to indicate to said at least one other memory circuit that said at least one telephone number and associated information are being sent.

44. The system according to claim 28, wherein said information associated with said at least one telephone number includes an alphanumeric identifier which can be used by a user to retrieve and dial said at least one telephone number.

45. The system according to claim 28, wherein said controller includes a processor.

46. A method of storing at least one telephone number and information associated with said telephone number in a plurality of databases, at least one of said plurality of databases being located in a telephone, said method comprising:

entering said at least one telephone number and associated information into a first of said plurality of databases;

storing said at least one telephone number and associated information in said first database;

sending said at least one telephone number and associated information to at least one other database of said plurality of databases via an email, wherein said email contains a text string to indicate to said at least one other database that said at least one telephone number and associated information is being sent;

receiving said at least one telephone number and associated information by said at least one other database via said email;

parsing said email to determine if said text string is found;

extracting said at least one telephone number and associated information if said text string is found; and

storing said at least one telephone number and associated information in said at least one other database.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein after said email has been received, said method further comprises:

notifying a user of said email if said text string is not found.

48. The method according to claim 46, wherein said act of entering further comprises:

entering said at least one telephone number and associated information including an alphanumeric identifier associated with said at least one telephone number.

49. The method according to claim 48, further comprising:

searching said at least one other database for said entered alphanumeric identifier;

determining if said alphanumeric identifier is already in said at least one other database;

storing said alphanumeric identifier and telephone number and associated information in said at least one other database if said alphanumeric identifier is not found; and

replacing stored information associated with said alphanumeric identifier with said entered telephone number and associated information if said alphanumeric identifier is found.

50. The method according to claim 46, further comprising:

receiving a second email;

parsing the second email to determine if the second email contains a command to indicate that the second email includes a second telephone number;

extracting the second telephone number and storing the second telephone number if said command is found in the second email; and

notifying a user of said email if said command is not found in the second email.